diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/php/api.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/php/api.mustache
index 1267f76d358..a434699f90a 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/php/api.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/php/api.mustache
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@ class {{classname}} {
         $formParams['{{baseName}}'] = {{#isFile}}'@' . {{/isFile}}$this->apiClient->toFormValue(${{paramName}});
       }{{/formParams}}
       {{#bodyParams}}// body params
-      $body = null;
+      $_tempBody = null;
       if (isset(${{paramName}})) {
-        $body = ${{paramName}};
+        $_tempBody = ${{paramName}};
       }{{/bodyParams}}
 
       // for model (json/xml)
-      if (isset($body)) {
-        $httpBody = $body; // $body is the method argument, if present
+      if (isset($_tempBody)) {
+        $httpBody = $_tempBody; // $_tempBody is the method argument, if present
       }
       
       // for HTTP post (form)